From This Day Forward
by mrsyt31
Summary: Carlisle had been a part of Edward's life as far back as he can remember. Will a life-altering event get them to admit their love to one another? Entry for Twislash Unveiled Slash Contest. AH/AU, slightly OOC...


**A/N: Entry for the Twislash Unveiled Slash Contest. It didn't do so hot, but I'm okay with that. This was my very first slash piece, as well as my first ever lemon. It's a non-traditional pairing, and I think it skeeves some people out! Anyways, as usual, if you are under 18 please go elsewhere for your entertainment!**

**Disclaimer:**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. **

**TwiSlash Unveiled, this contest, and the authors of the stories submitted do not intend any copyright infringement.**

**Anonymity Disclaimer:**

**This story is the work of its author and not TwiSlash Unveiled.  
It has been submitted under the TU pen name for the TwiSlash Unveiled SLASH contest only.  
It remains the work of the author. **

I was surrounded by darkness. Somewhere in my conscious mind, I could hear the steady beeping and I found myself struggling for awareness. I could hear muffled voices and I knew their owners were not far away, but I simply could not open my eyes to see who they belonged to. Then I heard _him_- my angel. "Edward," he whispered. "Please come back to me. You have to come back so I can make this _right._" I couldn't imagine where the desperation in his voice was coming from. _What was he trying to make right?_, I wondered. I fought for consciousness, but the more I struggled, the more it felt as if I was drowning. I gave myself over to the sensations, and suddenly I was flooded with memories.

_XOX_

_I was seven years old when I fell out of a tree in his backyard; Bella and I had been trying to see who could climb the highest, and I was determined to win. Instead, I ended up with a broken arm and an overnight stay at Forks General. He was at the hospital when Charlie and my mom brought me in for x-rays. "Hey sweetheart," he said lovingly to Charlie when he walked up, giving him a quick kiss on the lips before looking over at me. "What happened Edward?"_

"_He fell out of the tree, daddy!" Bella answered for me. "It was really scary!"_

"_Don't worry Edward." He said softly as Charlie placed me on the examining table. "I'll take very good care of you and everything will be just fine."_

_He stayed with me all night so that my mom could go home and get some sleep. He sat by my bed and read me a story, and then just talked until I fell asleep. I had been very nervous about sleeping in an unfamiliar place, but he made it better. He always made everything better._

_XOX_

I could hear the voices again. This time I found I could actually recognize a couple of them. I was sure one of them was Bella, telling another person to go get some rest; that she would stay and let them know if I woke. I could feel her presence near me. She was talking to me about why I was here and what injuries I had sustained. She tried to encourage me to wake up. _Wake up?_ What had happened to me? I couldn't remember where I was or how I got here, and I certainly couldn't wake up. I had been trying to wake up for I don't know how long. Then I heard his voice again; the _angel._

"How is he?" the golden voice asked quietly.

"The same," she replied. "Daddy, how long do they think he'll be like this?" The pain in her voice was evident, but I didn't understand it.

"Injuries like these, sweetheart….they just take time." His voice was rough now with an emotion I couldn't place. "Go get yourself some coffee. The others are down in the cafeteria; Ed and Libby will be here soon." I couldn't hear her reply as my mind started shuffling through my memories again.

_XOX_

_I was fifteen when Bella made me admit that I was gay. I guess I always knew it on some level; I knew what it meant to be homosexual, and I had grown up with two excellent role models for how to live life as a proud gay man. But I was still afraid to tell my mom and dad. Bella suggested we talk to Charlie and Carlisle. Talking to Charlie was too much like talking to my dad, so I opted to visit Carlisle in his office at the hospital._

"_Edward! Bella called and said you were coming over and that you needed to talk. What's going on?" His concern was plainly written on his face, and as I explained my dilemma, his look of confusion was replaced by one of understanding. "Edward, you must know that you're parents love you unconditionally. You're father was more than understanding when he learned that I was gay, and we were only seventeen at the time. He was also very accepting of Charlie when we started dating. You know your mother will accept you- Charlie has been her closest friend since she was a small child. Why are you so worried?"_

"_I'm their only son- their only child, Carlisle. I'm afraid that they will be disappointed." _

_He cupped my cheek in his palm in an act of comfort and smiled softly at me. "I can go with you, if you want, for support."_

_He always knew how to make everything easier._

_XOX_

_When Bella and I were entering our senior year of high school, Charlie was diagnosed with lung cancer. Unfortunately, his prognosis wasn't good. So while we should have been out having fun with our other friends and enjoying our last year in Forks, we found ourselves spending as much time with her father as possible. Carlisle's sister, Esme, moved in to help him care for his dying partner. Six months after his diagnosis, Charlie Swan died, surrounded by those who loved him most. My parents helped Carlisle make the necessary arrangements, and he was laid to rest on a rare sunny afternoon._

_The next few months, I spent a lot of time with Bella and Carlisle. As we prepared to leave for college, I could see that both Bella and her father were growing more anxious. She because of her apprehension to leave her father here all alone, and he because of his fear that she would refuse to go out of concern for him._

_When the day finally came for us to leave, Carlisle pulled me aside into his office to talk. Since Bella and I would be in the same city, his wish was that I would look out for her._

"_Of course, Carlisle. She's my best friend; you don't even have to ask." His relief was plain on his face and he embraced me as he whispered his thanks. I think that might have been the first time I had thoughts of him that went beyond friendship._

_XOX_

I still couldn't wake up, but the voices around me continued to get clearer. I had no idea how much time had passed while I lay here, aware but unconscious. My parents had arrived. My mother spoke softly to me while my father gathered information about whatever had happened that left me in this state. The two of them, as well as the others, took it in turns sitting and talking to me. I could not remember what had happened, and I still felt as if I were stuck in a dream. Occasionally I would hear the angel's warm voice and feel a gentle hand in mine, and found myself hoping that this was not a dream- that he was really here with me, and that the words he spoke were true. And when he would leave my side again, I would drift back into my sea of memories.

_XOX_

_It had been six years since I had left Forks for school on the east coast. I had been back a few times, but my parents mostly came out to visit me since my schedule was so crazy. I studied music and education, hoping to perform with the symphony one day, but also wanting to be able to fall back on teaching if that didn't pan out. I was always very practical._

_Bella had just finished law school, and was getting ready to take the bar exam, making it difficult for her to travel west to visit her dad. Since my parents were coming out for a visit, I suggested to her that Carlisle should come at the same time so we could all spend some time together. So, the first week in June, our parents all came to Boston for what should have been just a two week stay. Only Carlisle decided not to leave. He had taken a sabbatical from his work at the hospital in Forks, and decided to stay on for the whole summer. And, since Bella was studying her butt off most days and my new gig with the Boston Pops didn't start until after their summer season ended, I ended up spending a lot of time with Carlisle. _

_It wasn't very long before I realized that I was developing real feelings- adult feelings- for him. I was surprised at first when I started to notice things about him that I had never taken in before. The way the silver was starting to streak the front of his light brown hair around his face, so much so that it almost looked blond; or the way he used his hands when he spoke about something that he was passionate about. I nearly melted when he would smile or laugh at something I had said, and I found myself trying to make it happen more often._

_One night in mid-July, we found ourselves sharing drinks at a neighborhood bar, as Bella was doing some last-minute cramming before her exam the following week. As the evening wore on and the drinks continued to flow, we both began to let our guard down. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who was having these unfamiliar feelings. "You're beautiful; you know that, right?" He breathed in my ear as I ordered what must have been our sixth or seventh round of beers. "I can't believe I never realized before how beautiful you really are."_

"_You're pretty stunning yourself, Dr. Cullen." I smiled, putting my hand on his knee under the table. I knew he was drunk- so was I- but I didn't care. He was finally returning some of what I had been feeling all summer and drunk or not, it made me absolutely giddy. About an hour later, we decided to head back to my place. I would have been lying if I said I didn't want something to happen, but I wasn't really expecting anything. But when he kissed me- well, I'd never felt anything like it. It's not like I hadn't had boyfriends, but Carlisle's kiss was different, and I wanted more of it. When I ran my thumbs over his very erect nipples, his whole body shuddered. He pulled away slightly and stared into my eyes with a look I had never seen there before. "Do you want this?" I asked. "Because, if you don't, then this stops right here." He grabbed hold of my shirt and pulled me to him again and thrust his tongue in my mouth. I was in shock- I was about to get everything I had ever wanted. I no sooner had the thought, when I heard the elevator ding, alerting us to someone's arrival. He pulled away again, breathing heavily with a small smirk playing on his swollen lips. _

"_Hey guys!" Bella called. "Did you have a good night?" And just like that, the smile vanished from his face, and was replaced with a look that could only be described as shame. He backed away from me slowly, saying "Yes, sweetheart. It was fun. I was actually just headed back to your place. Goodnight, Edward." He said to me, not making eye contact. And just like that, he slipped away._

_Over the next few weeks, he made it a point to never be left alone with me. The look of guilt on his face every time he saw me made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't understand how he could go from wanting me so much to being ashamed of the way he felt so quickly. I was hurting, and the one person I could always turn to in the past was suddenly off limits to me. I couldn't even talk to Bella about it. What would she think if she knew how badly I wanted to be in her father's bed? I wasn't sure if she would be so accepting of that fact. I'm sure she knew that something was up; she was a smart woman, and since our relationship had always been so relaxed, I was sure she could feel the new tension between us. If she did, she kept it to herself. _

_The last thing I really remember is the night we went out with the whole gang. My cousin Emmett and Rose, his fiancée, had come to town to visit his sister Alice and her husband, Jasper. It was the first time we had all been together since Alice's wedding the previous summer. We all decided to have dinner at our favorite Italian place in the North End, and then hit our favorite bar afterwards. Carlisle stayed as far from me as he could all night, only occasionally stealing glances in my direction. The sexual tension between us had only gotten worse over time as he tried to ignore what had almost happened between us. I watched as he talked and laughed with my friends, and something inside me was twisting like a knife. It hurt, knowing that he could just distance himself from me that way; after a lifetime of being a friend to me, he would just cast me aside because he was afraid. The longer the night went on, the more hurt and angry I became. It was after eleven when he excused himself for the evening. And of course, being my emotional and stupid self, I got up and followed him out of the bar._

_I found him in the alley behind the building's rear exit. He was on his cell, calling a cab, I assumed. He must have heard me approaching, because he looked up and tensed as soon as our eyes met. "Edward, please?" What he was asking me I wasn't sure at that point. "I can't do this with you." He sounded almost defeated._

"_Can't do what, exactly? Be my friend, or be more? Because it feels as though you've taken away everything, Carlisle." I was angry, and I wanted him to admit that there was something here; that it wasn't just my imagination. _

_I closed the distance between us and cupped his face in my hands. "Tell me, Carlisle. I need to hear you say it. If you don't want me you have to tell me." He didn't say anything, and I could feel his body trembling beneath my touch. "I don't understand what's going on," I continued, "what pushed you away from me?"_

_He looked up at me then and replied, "It was a mistake. I never should have kissed you." The pain in my eyes must have been immense, because he had to look away again. "How could this ever work, Edward? What would Bella think? What would your parents say? Your father would be so upset with me!" He was worried about our families? _

"_They would want us to be happy, Carlisle. How can you use them as an excuse?" My anger was starting to flare again, and I wasn't sure how I was going to hold back from saying something I would regret. I reached out to him again and pulled him close to me. I could feel his growing arousal against my thigh, and it made me bold enough to say what I had been holding in for weeks. "Damn it, Carlisle, I love you- can't you see that? I know that you feel it too, and that you are pushing me away out of fear. Why does it have to matter what anyone else thinks?"_

"_Because it does." He said as he started to pull away, but I grabbed him and held him even tighter. I crushed my mouth to his, forcing my tongue past his lips, hoping to make him respond. He fisted his hands through the hair at the nape of my neck and kissed me back fiercely, before letting me go and pushing me away again. "Please, Edward, just let me go." I could do nothing but watch him walk away from me. _

_I heard the sound of someone laughing behind me, and before I could even turn around, I felt something hit the back of my head, and everything went black._

_XOX_

"Carlisle?" I whispered. My voice was rough, like it hadn't been used in a while, and I was confused about the weight that seemed to be holding me in place.

A cool hand brushed across my face as I heard a soft voice say, "Sshh, Edward. Don't try and talk. Everything's going to be fine, but they just took the tube out last night, so your throat will be sore for a while."

"Where's Carlisle?" I asked. "Where am I? Bella?" I was still struggling through the haze, trying to put together the pieces of what was happening around me.

"Yes, it's me. You're in the hospital, but you're going to be okay." She held my hand tightly and I thought I heard her voice break as she spoke.

"Where's Carlisle?" I asked again. "He was here?"

"I sent him to get coffee. He's hardly left your side since you were admitted. He won't even go home- I had to bring him a change of clothes and the nurses made him up a bed in here so he could stay close. He'll be upset that he wasn't here when you woke up, although, I think it might be better this way- It gives us a chance to talk."

He had stayed with me. _What did that mean?_ He probably just felt guilty again.

"Edward, what happened in that alley?" she asked hesitantly. I tried not to meet her eyes because I knew what she would see there; Bella knew me almost better than I knew myself. "I know how you feel about him- I can see it in your face when you look at him. If it means anything, I think he feels the same for you. Please tell me what happened?"

I told her everything, starting from the beginning of the summer, right up until I got jumped in the alley behind the bar. She was very understanding. "Be patient with him Edward. He feels more for you than he will tell me, and he was so scared when they brought you in here. It reminded me of when Charlie died- the hurt in his eyes; the fear he felt at not having any control of the outcome. Just don't give up on him yet."

Just then my parents walked in the room, closely followed by Carlisle. My mother rushed to my side and wrapped her arms around me while my father asked how I felt now that I was awake. I couldn't take my eyes off Carlisle. He stood by the door, fear etched on his face, obviously not sure if I would welcome him or not. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, and for all I knew, that was the case. "So, how long have I been in here, anyways?"

My mother looked to Carlisle and it seemed as if they were communication silently for a moment. He met my eyes briefly before replying, "You were brought in late Friday- it's now Tuesday. The doctors have been keeping you pretty heavily medicated to give your body a chance to heal."

"I've been asleep for four days? What the hell happened to me?" I remembered getting hit in the head, but nothing after that.

"As best we can tell you were mugged. They beat you severely with some type of club, it seems. One of the wait staff found you just before Emmett and Jasper came looking for you. It must have happened right after I left." The last part he whispered and I could tell by the look on his face that he was blaming himself, but before I could say anything, the doctor came into the room.

He checked me all out and said they wanted to keep me for a couple more days for observation, but that I should be able to return home after that, as long as I had someone there to help me out for a while. Apparently, I would have to use a wheelchair for a while until my ribs were healed enough that I could use crutches more comfortably. I was amazed at the extent of my injuries, and a little bit frightened that I had no memories of the attack at all. "It's probably better that way," my mother had told me. She wanted to stay and take care of me, but we had no way of knowing how long my recovery would take, and she had responsibilities back in Forks that she would need to return to fairly soon.

"I'll do it," I heard Carlisle say. "I'm here anyways, and I _am _a doctor. Who would be more qualified than me?"

"Are you sure you want to do that?" I asked hesitantly. I wanted nothing more than to spend time with him, but I wondered what his real reason for offering was.

He met my eyes with a look of resignation and replied, "I'm sure."

It was Friday before I was allowed to go home; a week had passed since the attack, and although my parents were hesitant to leave me, they had other obligations that required their attention at home. They were able to stay long enough to help Carlisle move into my place and get things rearranged so that I could get around in the wheelchair. When they left on Saturday morning, it was with a promise to return if I should need them.

That afternoon and evening was interesting to say the least. Carlisle not only had to help me when I needed to use the bathroom, but he also had to help me bathe. I was afraid of how my body would react to him; I had, after all, been fantasizing about the man for months. As he helped me out of the chair on to the bench in the shower, I started to remove my robe but could not muster the courage to meet his eyes. With a definite tone of sarcasm, I told him, "This is not what I pictured when I imagined being naked in front of you for the first time."

He pulled away for a moment, looking at the floor in front of him. "Edward-"he paused, trying to find the words to express whatever he wanted to say to me. Softly, he whispered, "I just want to help you. Please? Please, let me help you." He looked at me then, and I saw so many emotions in his eyes that it was hard to determine what was really going through his mind.

"All right." It was the only reply I could come up with.

The weeks went by quickly, and Carlisle and I settled into a routine; not always comfortable, but a routing nonetheless. The easy friendship we had once shared had resurfaced, only occasionally giving way to the awkwardness that preceded the night in the alley. The feelings were all still there, but we somehow managed to avoid talking about them and tried to be as casual with each other as possible.

My physical therapy was going well, and my leg cast would come off soon, which would mean that I needed a lot less help doing my everyday tasks. I wondered if this would mean an end to my time with Carlisle, and the thought made the old ache in my chest return. I wanted him to stay, but I feared that he would run when he felt he was no longer needed here.

One day, about six weeks after my return home, he informed me that he wouldn't be driving me to PT the next day. "I have some business to attend to, Edward, and Alice has agreed to see you to your appointment. I thought maybe we could have a quiet dinner when you return?" I couldn't imagine what business he possibly had here, thousands of miles away from his home, but I didn't argue.

"That sounds nice Carlisle. Thanks for finding me another ride to my appointment."

He smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You should probably get some sleep. I think tomorrow is going to be a long day." He made sure I had everything I needed for the night, and excused himself to his room. I felt like something was off with him, but I didn't know for sure what it was. _He's going to leave._ I thought to myself. _He can see that I am physically much better, and he is going to leave me now. _What would I do if that were the case?

When I got up in the morning, he was gone for the day, but he had left me a note letting me know when he would be back and what he was making for dinner. I poured myself some cereal with milk and sat for a few minutes while I ate. I still couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to be leaving soon. The thought was painful, and I tried to push it to the back of my mind for the time being.

Soon enough, Alice appeared at my door, and we headed out to my therapy appointment. My cast had come off a couple of days before, and my appointments would increase for a couple of weeks while we started to rebuild the strength in my leg. Oddly enough, I enjoyed these appointments; it turns out that strength training was a great release for me, allowing me to let go of any anger or frustrations I had been feeling. When I was done, I treated Alice to lunch, and we sat and talked for a long time. It was nice to just sit and catch up with her, and before I knew it, it was nearly dinner time.

It was a little after five when I finally hobbled back through the front door of my apartment. Carlisle called out that dinner was almost ready, and that I should get cleaned up and meet him in the dining room when I was ready. I made my way to my room, deciding to take a nice hot shower before dinner, and twenty minutes later, I was dressed and making my way to the table, where Carlisle was just setting out a large salad, as well as a pot of beef stew and two beers. "I hope the beer is alright- I can get you some water or something if you prefer?" He seemed a bit nervous, and my own fears about him leaving came back to the surface.

"No," I said. "Beer is great."

We ate in relative silence, both lost in our own thoughts. When we had finished and the dishes had been cleared, he handed me another beer. He looked up at me suddenly and said, "I need to talk to you about something." _Here it comes, _I thought, _he's leaving. _Why should he stay? He could go back to Bella's, or he might be ready to go back to Forks and get back to work. He would leave, and I would be alone again.

We sat in the living room- I took my regular seat in the armchair, and he sat to my left at the end of the sofa. He toyed with his beer bottle for a few moments before blurting out, "I'm selling my house in Forks." I looked at him, dumbfounded. _Why would he do that? _I wondered.

"Why would you do that? Does Bella know about this?" I finally asked. I couldn't imagine why he wanted to talk about this with me.

"Bella has been trying to encourage me to do it for a while." He stated. "As for why; it's time. I haven't lived in the house for about three years. I was renting it out, and subletting a condo in Port Angeles. It hasn't been home for me in a long time." Well this was new information. I still didn't understand what he was trying to get at, though. I glanced over at him and realized that he was staring at me. I couldn't decipher the emotion in his eyes, but his gaze set my skin on fire.

"What are you trying to tell me Carlisle? Where exactly is _home?"_ This conversation suddenly felt like it was taking a whole different turn than I originally thought.

He looked away before he answered, "My home is here now." He lifted his eyes again to meet mine, and my heart started beating rapidly. "With you, if you want me." I gasped, and my mind started running in circles. I thought I might start hyperventilating, but I managed to compose myself long enough to ask a couple of questions.

"I thought you didn't want me, that you couldn't start a relationship with me. What's changed since you told me that this could never work with us?" Part of me was angry, very angry, and that part was trying to beat down the part of me that was elated that he might really want me.

He took a deep breath before answering. "When I saw you in the hospital- broken, bruised, bloodied- I thought I might really lose you. I haven't been that scared since the day Charlie was diagnosed." He looked at his hands as he spoke, clearly afraid of what he would see on my face if he met my eyes. He glanced at me and away again as he continued. "And then I spoke with your father."

"My father? What did he say to you? Carlisle? What did he say?" I knew one of his reasons for not pursuing a relationship with me was his friendship with my parents. My father had been his best friend since they were children and he didn't want to hurt him or alienate him in any way.

"It was when you were still in the hospital. He made me go with him for coffee while you were resting." The words were flowing freely for him now, and I had to pay close attention so that I didn't miss anything. "He told me you loved me, and I said to him that you had told me you did. Then he asked if I loved you, only it wasn't really a question, it was more like he was stating the obvious."

"And what did you say?" I asked hesitantly.

"I told him yes, I did- I do." His hands were trembling as he met my gaze, and a tear rolled down his cheek as his eyes filled with more. "Then he told me- he told me that he couldn't have hand-picked a better man as a partner for his son." He started sobbing then as he pulled himself from the couch and knelt on the floor between my knees with his head in his hands. My own tears began to flow as he continued. "I know I've made colossal mistakes Edward. I only hope that maybe in time you can forgive me and give me another chance to prove to you how special you are to me."

I reached out to him then and cupped his jaw in my hands, pulling his face up and forcing him to look in to my eyes. "All I have ever wanted is to hear you say that you love me, and know that you want me as much as I want you." He grabbed my face in both of his hands and kissed me with a ferocity I had never felt before. His kiss was full of passion and want and need- he was pouring all of his emotions into this one kiss, and in turn, I gave back every bit of what was inside of my heart.

"I love you Edward. I've wanted you for so long- you've awoken something in me I thought was lost with Charlie. I was lucky once, and I never thought it could happen for me again. But you- you are the gift I never thought to ask for." He stroked my cheek with his thumb and leaned in to kiss me again. This kiss was much less urgent, and when he ran his tongue along my bottom lip seeking entrance, I opened up to him, and felt like I was finally home.

We sat and kissed languorously for what seemed like minutes, but it might have been hours for all I cared. After a while he stood, taking my hand and pulling me up with him, and wrapped his arms around me, nuzzling his face into the crook of my neck. I nibbled his jaw as I whispered, "I want you Carlisle. Please let me show you how much?" I had never before felt the level of desire that was stirring inside me. We had wasted so much time. I didn't want to waste another minute.

"You're still recovering Edward. I don't want to hurt you." His concern was written plainly on his face, but there was desire and need there as well.

"You won't hurt me- I trust you." I took his hand again and led him down the hall to my room. When we reached our destination, I turned and walked backwards, slowly leading him to the bed. He helped me back up until I could sit and then he knelt again on the floor between my knees. "Please Carlisle, touch me. I need to feel you."

He ran his hands up and down my thighs as I reached out to untuck his shirt from his pants. When my fingers brushed against the soft skin at his waist, he reached down and helped me remove his shirt. I could only stare. He had the body of a man half his age- lean, but strong and defined. He was breathtaking. "You are so beautiful," I said as I traced the planes of his chest with my fingers. His whole body shuddered, and he carefully reached out and removed my t-shirt.

I pulled him up, silently commanding him to stand as I undid his belt. I looked up into his eyes as I unbuttoned his pants and slid them down his hips. Then I followed with his boxers, still staring into his eyes, as he gazed back at me with love and wonder. He brushed the back of his fingers along my cheek as I took his beautiful cock in my hands for the first time. He was glorious- so long and thick and hard for me; I couldn't resist licking his slit clean of the bead of moisture that had gathered there. He let out a groan as I stroked him, and he pulled me up to standing so he could kiss me deeply. I grabbed his hips and pulled him against me, thrusting myself into him so he could feel my erection straining against the zipper of my jeans. "Please touch me," I said again, as he began removing the last barrier remaining between us. He groaned again when he realized there was nothing under the denim.

"Commando?" he asked. "Do you have any idea how much that turns me on?"

I grabbed him again, grinding our cocks together, desperately seeking more friction. "I think I have a pretty good idea," I chuckled. We moved our way up on to the bed, and he settled himself on top of me, kissing and nipping his way across my chest. He gently took one of my nipples into his mouth, flicking it with his tongue as he sucked hard on it. I let out a breathy moan as he took the other nipple between his fingers, rolling and pinching it as I bucked my hips against him. "Feels so good…..love the way you touch me….ungh, Carlisle….more, please, more…"

He kissed and licked his way down my stomach, pulling back to blow softly on the wet skin he left behind, causing me to shudder violently against him. "I love seeing how your body reacts to me," he teased. "Look how hard you are for me….so beautiful. I want to taste you Edward- is that okay with you?" I groaned my approval and he teased my slit with his tongue. "So sweet…I can't wait to have your beautiful cock in my mouth." He took my head between his lips then, swirling his tongue around the sensitive ridge, sucking gently for a moment before taking me all the way in.

I felt myself hit the back of his throat and I whimpered as he swallowed around me. I wouldn't last long if he kept this up. "Oh god, Carlisle….so good…" He hummed around me as I whispered words of encouragement. I wanted, no, _needed _more. I needed to feel him inside me, warm and pulsing with each stroke. I swear he could read my mind, because after a few more strokes with his tongue along my shaft he pulled away, crawling up the bed to kiss me passionately. "I need you," I whispered. "Please, make love to me? I want to feel you inside of me."

"Are you sure?" he asked, pulling back to look in my eyes.

"I've never wanted anyone or anything this much in my life. Make love to me." I repeated. I reached over and opened the drawer of my nightstand, retrieving a condom and a bottle of lube. He looked at me again and smiled a real smile that lit his entire face.

"I love you Edward Masen," he said as he opened the bottle and poured some of the liquid into his hand. Carefully, he began teasing my entrance with his lubed fingers, his other hand stroking my aching cock, preparing me for what was to come. Slowly, he pressed a finger inside, working and stretching me for him. He leaned over me, kissing me tenderly. He continued this sensual dance- probing my ass with his fingers; teasing my nipples with his tongue, and occasionally kissing me softly- until he had me fully primed and begging for him. "Are you ready for me, love?" he asked as he pressed his head against my entrance.

"Yes, baby, please, " I moaned as I pulled my knees up to give him better access. "I need to feel you inside me!" Before I even had the last words out, he was pressing into me slowly. Inch by glorious inch he continued to fill me, until I could feel his thighs pressed against me. He stayed there for a few moments, giving us both a chance to adjust to the overwhelming sensations.

"Edward, I can't….need to move….feels so good…." He stuttered as he slowly began rocking his hips against mine. I took one of his nipples between my thumb and middle finger and pinched lightly as I took his other in my mouth. He groaned loudly as I sucked him in hard and he thrust into me, causing me to cry out in return. "I love the sounds you make for me," he whispered in my ear.

"Carlisle, you feel so good, baby….more, I need more," I begged as we began moving faster, both desperately seeking our release. "Oh god, I don't know how long I can hold off," I breathed as I licked the rim of his ear, causing a tremor to run through his body.

"Don't hold back, love. Look at me- look in my eyes when you cum so we both know who's making you feel this way!" His words pushed me over the edge, as he continued to pound into me. My body began to spasm as the white-hot cum began to empty all over my stomach and chest, and the intensity of it helped push him to his own orgasm. His eyes never left mine as we rode out the waves of our pleasure, and as we both came down from the high, he still held my gaze with a look of love I had longed to see there.

"I love you Carlisle; more than my own life." I felt a tear roll down my cheek at the realization that all my dreams had come to fruition in this moment.

"And I you, Edward."

_XOX_

_2 years later……._

We were back in Forks, just for the week, at my request. I had insisted, actually, that this event take place back home, where our story began. Carlisle agreed that it would be best, and would certainly please my mother.

I was currently standing in my old bedroom, staring at myself in the full length mirror, remembering the events that transpired the last time we had come to visit.

"_Where are we, sweetheart?" I asked as he reached up to untie the blindfold he had placed over my eyes when we left my parents house._

"_I didn't want to ruin the surprise, love. Open your eyes." The sight before me made me smile._

"_La Push? I love it down here! I haven't been down to the beach since high school." I sighed, remembering the last time we all came here to scatter Charlie's ashes after the funeral. "Are you okay with this?"_

"_Edward, there is something very important I wanted to talk to you about, and I couldn't think of a more perfect place for this conversation to happen." He led me down the well-worn path to the shore, where there was already a blanket and picnic basket laid out for us. Curious as to what he wanted to talk about, I sat down on the blanket and patted the ground beside me, encouraging him to sit as well._

"_What's up, babe?"_

"_Well, I was thinking, we've been living together for a while, and things are great." He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, a nervous habit. He looked up at me and when I smiled at him, he visibly relaxed. What could he possibly be so nervous about? "I brought you here because it felt kind of symbolic, but now it seems kind of silly. I should have just asked you at home."_

"_Asked me what?" I was starting to feel a little anxious, and he must have realized it because he reached for my hand and began tracing lazy circle on my palm._

"_Charlie and I were together for a long time, but things were different then. The world was a different place when we started our lives together. I feel so lucky to have you in my life- you are such a gift to me, and I love you with all my heart and soul. Edward, I was wondering if….awe hell, Edward- will you marry me?" _

_What? Did he really just ask me that? "You want to marry me?" I had to ask just to make sure my imagination wasn't getting carried away._

"_More than anything," he whispered._

_I reached out and stroked his cheek with the back of my hand as I let out the breath I had been holding. "Of course I'll marry you."_

I was brought back to the present by the sound of the door opening behind me. "You look very handsome," Bella said as she crossed the room to where I was standing. "You're mom did a wonderful job choosing that suit."

I laughed softly as I replied, "Never let it be said that Elizabeth Masen doesn't know her way around designer men's wear. How are you?"

"Good- happy. I'm so happy for you both." Her smile lit up her eyes and I knew then that her words were true. "You really are good for him, you know?"

I sighed before answering, a smile playing on my lips, "He's good for me. I have never been as happy as I am when I am with him." And it was true; the last two years had been among the happiest of my life. I wrapped my arms around the woman who had been my best friend my entire life, and would today become my step-daughter. "Does it weird you out that I will be your step-dad?"

"I will never think of you that way, you know. You'll always just be Edward to me." My mother poked her head in the door just then, alerting us that it was time to head downstairs. "Good luck," she whispered.

"Love you, Bells."

"You too, Eddie."

We made our way down the stairs where my parents were waiting. Bella hugged them both and made her way to the back yard where the ceremony would be held. My parents both whispered words of love and congratulations as we slowly made our way to the altar. When we came around the corner I nearly stopped breathing. I saw him- my love- standing there, smiling at me with a look of complete and utter joy on his face, and I knew in that moment that I belonged to him, and he to me.

As we stood together, before our friends and family, we pledged our love and lives to one another. From this day forward, we would be together- one heart, one love, one life…..forever.

~the end~


End file.
